Road Resurfacing near The Wilds

Both Zion Ridge Road and International Drive will see work done soon.

The Muskingum County Commissioners heard bids for the chip and seal project Monday morning. In the first bid of the morning, Asphalt Materials Inc. gave a two cost estimates for the 60,000 gallons of liquid asphalt needed to complete the project. The two estimates are for different grads of mulch.

One of the bids was for $2.725 per gallon and the other was $1.955 per gallon. The administrative deputy for the Muskingum County Engineer’s Office, Matt Russell, said they “need to decide which is better for the project.”

Once the oil is laid down, two layers of limestone will be placed over top. Russell said said during chip and seal projects, there are always multiple layers. A larger fragmented rock layer, number 67 limestone is laid to create a hard base layer. After that is placed, Russell said the county will lay a layer of number 8 limestone down.

“There will be a little bigger stone that would go on the first layer of the chip and seal, and the second layer of the double seal would be a small stone. It gives you a better ride, a smoother ride on top.”

Russell described the difference by using the analogy of bouncing a basketball on a stone driveway. He said if you bounce a ball on the number 67 limestone, you won’t be able to predict where the ball will go. On the other hand, bouncing a ball on number 8 limestone will give you the reaction you’d expect on a normal basketball court.

During Monday’s bidding process, Shelly Materials and National Lime and Stone Company produced bids for the limestone. Shelly Materials bid $19.50 per ton for the number 67 limestone and $20 per ton for the number 8 limestone. Meanwhile, National Lime and Stone out of Coshocton bid $29.60 per ton for both the number 67 and number 8 limestone.

In July, the county received a $64,971 Transportation Improvement District Grant for the project. Since then ODOT Jobs and Commerce has granted an additional $100,000. The county has contributed $94,911 for the project.

The three bids have been taken under advisement and the county will decide what the best route to take for the project is. Russell said the county hopes to have the resurfacing completed before the end of the season this year.